Coin collecting and registering apparatus



Dec. 12, 1950 w cox ET AL 2,533,654

COIN COLLECTING'AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1945 3Sheets-Sheet 1 l l l m 9 40 IN V EN TORS 1950 I x M. WILCOX ET AL2,533,654

COiN COLLECTING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 2 [Is/125M015 /7. J 1 H $5 G. M. WILCOX ET AL COIN COLLECTINGAND REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1945 Dec. 12, 1950 '3Sheets-Sheet 3 E e W L I N V EN TOR- W W Patented Dec. 12, 1950 COINCOLLECTING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS Granville M. Wilcox, Lincoln, andWalter S. Johnson, Providence, R. 1., assignors to Max L.

Grant, Providence, R. I.

Application April 16, 1945, Serial No. 588,694

3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to apparatus for collecting andregistering coins, and has reference to a novel construction which hasspecial advantages for general use and is particularly suitable for usein busses and trolley cars.

The principal features of the novel construction include a large mouthhopper into whichv the coins may be freely dropped, mechanism fortransferring the inserted coins in sequence to a registering device andfor conducting the registered coins to a display arrangement so that thecoins are individually displayed, and a receptacle which receives thedisplayed coins and from which they may be removed by the conductor. Inaddition, an auxiliary coin receiver is provided for receiving thedeposited coins if the registering apparatus is out of order orinoperative or is otherwise desired by-passed, and the indicator of theregistration is arranged as a detachable unit.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedapparatus for collecting and registering coins.

Another object of the invention is to utilize a wide mouth hopper forfacilitating deposit of coins, and thus reduce the time required forcoin collection.

Still another object of the invention is to individually transfer thedeposited coins to an inspection passageway wherein each coin isindividually displayed, the coins then being automatically transferredto another compartment where they are displayed as a group untilreleased.

A further object is to provide a simple and effective mechanism fordiverting the deposited coins to an auxiliary coin receiver whenever theregistering apparatus is inoperative or is desired by-passed, theauxiliary coin receiver not being accessible to the operator.

An additional object is to detachably mount the coin registrationindicator, whereby each operator is responsible for his own indicator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tamper-proof mountingfor the detachable indicator, having special interlocking connectionswith the indicator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a detachable indicatorwhich is of special size and shape designed to positively identify theindicator at all times.

Still another object is to provide a coin collector which eliminateswaste of time and energy in collecting and registering coins and inrecording the registrations.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, theinvention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosedin the detailed description following, in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings,

and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an illustrative apparatus embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, the hopper being removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the transfer disk, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 5 is a right side view of the operating mechanism, the outer casingand the hopper being removed;

Fig. 6 is a front view of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a left side view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5, parts being removed for clearnessand other parts being in section;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view showing the arrangement andpositioning of the parts for completing the electrical connections forthe illustrated apparatus;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged bottom detail view of the hopper, parts beingbroken away;

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail of the indicator panel parts;

Fig. 12 is a sectional detail on the line l2l2 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional detail on the line l3-l3 of Fig. 11.

General statement of Operation The invention will be explained bydescribing the normal movement of a deposited coin and then disclosingan illustrative mechanism for accomplishing the described movement, itbeing understood that the drawings disclose a preferred apparatus forcarrying out the purposes of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the coins or tokens aredeposited by the patrons within the wide mouth funnel is of a hopper ll, which as illustrated has a square base i2 for mounting on a casingframe 63. The coin passes from the funnel it into an angularlypositioned passageway id and impacts on a shelf or panel l5, which isheld in the position shown in Fig. 2 for normal operation but is movableas hereinafter described for emergency conditions. The coin now fallsinto a cylindrical chamber IE, see Figs. 5 and 8, and rests on anangularly positioned rotatable disk I? which forms the base of thechamber It.

The disk ll, see Fig. 4, has a cut-out portion [8 which has a straightside l9 and a curved side 20, and is keyed to the upper end of arotatable shaft 2!, whereby the disk sweeps around in a counterclock-wise direction over a stationary seat 22, and picks up and movesthe lowermost deposited coin upwardly until it drops into a coin 2,533,one

channel 23 which has a guide plate 24 mounted in the upper portionthereof to keep the coin generally horizontal.

The coin passes from the channel 23 over the edge of a vertical plate:35 and into a vertical channel or recess 26, see Fig. 1, being confinedwithin the channel 26 by a glass plate or the like 21 which is mountedin the frame it, and coming to rest on two metal contact pins 28 and280., one of the pins being grounded and the other connected to a sourceof current, as hereinafter described.

When the coin contacts the two pins 28 and 28a it closes an electriccircuit which moves a registration indicator 29, see Fig. 2, and alsorings a bell 98, see Fig. 7. The two pins 26 and 28a are mounted in amovable block 3!, which moves back and forth automatically in timedrelation to the rotation of the transfer disk ll to release the coin,which then drops down in front of a triangular plate 32, see Fig. 1, torest between this plate and the glass 27, the spacing being justsufficient to accommodate one coin therebetween. The lower edges of thevertical plate 25 are eX- tended as illustrated to close the sides ofthe triangular space.

The coin now rests on a ledge 33, see Fig. 8, which is attached to theplate 32, and successive coins drop down into the triangular space, edgeto edge, until a coin is positioned so as to be contacted by two pins3t, 34a, which are also mounted in the movable block 35 and which arealso moved back and forth as the block moves. When the two pins d4, 3 4aare contacted by the coin an auxiliary electric circuit is closed, ashereinafter explained, and the solenoid 35, see Figs. 7 and 8, isactuated to pull the solenoid core 95 inwardly; since the solenoid coreis attached to the back of the triangular plate 32 by a hinge connection31, see Fig. 8, the triangular plate is pulled back and the entire groupof displayed coins drops into a receptacle 33, see Fig. 2, which has ahinged spring pressed base 38 operable by the operator to release thecoins when he presses on a trigger finger 49 attached to the base 39.

The operator may release the coins manually into the receptacle bypressing a push rod 45 which is secured to the triangular plate 32, seeFig. 8. The triangular plate is returned to normal position by thepressure of spaced coil springs 42, see Fig. '7, which are mounted onfixed pins 43 in transverse bars 4 see Fig. 9, the transverse bars beingsecured at their ends within the easing frame.

The operating mechanism Referring now to Figs. to 8, the operatingmechanism includes an electric motor d5 which is preferably angularlymounted in the casing frame, as illustrated, and which drives a worm 46meshed with a worm gear 4?; a shaft 48 is keyed to the gear t? anddrives a bevel gear 49 which in turn drives a bevel gear 59 keyed to thetransfer disk shaft 25. The shaft 2|, see Fig. 5,

has an end cam 5! which periodically engages timed relation to therotation of the transfer disk causes a to and fro movement of the block3! and the pins 28, 28a and 34, 34a mounted therein. The supply ofelectric current to the motor 45 is controlled by a manually operableswitch'59, see Fig. '7, of usual type.

Fig. 9 discloses the electrical connections, which are designed toprevent unauthorized operation of the mechanism. The panel 69, see Fig.5, on which the registration indicator carrier BI is detachably mounted,is made in two sections; the rear section 62 carries the wiring, and thefront section 63 detachably receives the indicator carrier 6! ashereinafter described.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 13, the rear section 92 has four contactpins 64a, 64b, 64c and 64d slidably mounted in bores 65, the forward endof each contact pin having an enlarged head 66 and the bores 65 beingrecessed as indicated at 6'! to seat a spring 68 which resiliently urgesthe contact pin forwardly. 7 Wire retaining nuts 69 are threaded on therear ends of the contact pins to receive the wires, see Fig. 9, and twocontact springs 10, H are provided, the spring i0 being wired to onecontact pin as illustrated, and the spring H being connected to a sourceof electrical power.

A switch 12, see Fig. 12, is rotatably mounted in a central opening 13in the rear section 62, and includes a hub 14, a switch 75 mounted on arear extension 79 of the hub and having two oppositely directed bladesll, 18 adapted to engage the contact springs Hi, H, and a forward flange19 having two diametrically opposed arms 89, see Fig. 11, adapted toswing in sector openings 8|, the rear panel being recessed to receive acover plate as hereinafter described. The hub 14 is bored as indicatedat 82, and has a keyway 83, to receive a projection 84 mounted on therear of the indicator carrier BI and provided with an end key 85 to seatin the keyway 83.

The indicator 29,-see Fig. 9, has four contacts 86a, 86b, 86c and 86d,the contacts 86b, 0 and d being connected by a right angled plate 81, asillustrated, and the contact 86a also having a plate 88, the platesbeing wired to the indicator through a central passageway 89. Theindicator carrier 6| is provided with four openings 90a, 1), c and d andthe front panel section 63 has aligned openings 9 la, b, c and (2through which the ends of the contact pins 6411, b, c and d extend toengage the indicator contacts 86a, b, c and (1 when the parts are inassembled relation. A cover plate 9| having a keyed opening 92 shaped toreceive the projection 84 and its key 85, see Fig. 5, is set into thepanel recess.

When the two panel sections 62, 63 are secured together, as by screws orthe like, and the indicator 29 is secured to the carrier 6| with screwsor the like; the indicator carrier is readily mounted on the panel 69 bysetting the projection 84 into the panel opening 92 and the switch bore82 so that the key 85 seats in the keyway 83. In this position, thecarrier is at an angle to the panel, and may be swung to the right forlocking in place, the key 85 now being in back of the cover plate andthe forward edge of the carrier having a spring clamp 93 which engages astop pin 94, see Figs. 1, 2, mounted on the frame I3.

The swinging movement of the carrier shifts the switch 12 and engagesthe blades 11, 18 with the contact springs m, l l. The electricalconnections are thus placed in position for operation, as the currentpasses through the contact spring I I the switch blades 19. 1'! and thecontact pin 64b to the indicator contacts 86b, 0, and d. The currentfrom contact 86b and plate 81 passes through the indicator, throughplate 88 and contact 86a, and through contact pin 64a to pin 28a, andthrough a coin and pin 28 to ground. The current from contact 860 passesthrough contact pin 64c to the bell, to contact pin 64a, and to ground,and also through the motor to ground. The current from contact 86dpasses through the contact pin 64d, through the solenoid, to pin 34a,and then through a coin and the pin 34 to ground.

The carrier 6| has a hand grip 6Ia, see Fig. 2, to facilitate themounting and the swinging movement, this hand grip being preferably oflarge size so that concealment of the carrier and the indicator isdifl'icult.

The emergency coin drop When the operating mechanism is out of order orthe indicator does not make proper contact, there is no transfer ofcoins as described and no visual display, and means are thereforeprovided to by-pass the deposited coins to a locked receiving box.Referring now to Fig. 10, the base 12 of the hopper has a recess 95 inwhich a spring pressed rod 96 is positioned, the inner end of the rodhaving a pin 91. The movable shelf I5, see Fig. 2, is swingingly mountedon a hinge pin 98 and is urged to turn from the position illustrated inFig. 2 and close off the passage to the chamber I6 by a coil spring 99.

The shelf 15 is movably retained in the position illustrated in Fig. 2by a flat lever 199 which is pivotally mounted in the base of the hopperas indicated at IUI, one end of the lever I having a projection orfinger which extends into a recess I02 in the shelf, and the other endof the lever having an opening, not shown, to receive the end of the pin91. When the rod 96 is pressed inwardly the pin 91 swings the lever I00and releases the shelf, which swings over to close the entrance to thechamber l6 and to open up a by-pass passageway to a coin chute I93, seeFigs. 5, 6 which leads directly to a receiving box N14. The box I94cannot be removed from the casing frame by the operator, as the framemust be removed and a retainer plate I which is attached to the box I04must be released from a vertical frame rod I96 around which it issecured by screws I01.

The invention thus comprises a fare box into which coins are dropped,the coins being transferred one at a time to a display passageway inwhich each coin causes a registration to be made, and then passes to adisplay compartment in which a large number of coins are displayed withall the coins visible to the operator and the' patrons, the group ofcoins then being automatically transferred as a group to a coinreceptacle from which they may be withdrawn by the omrator. If theapparatus becomes inoperative for any reason, the operator pushes a rodwhich places an alternative coin passageway in operation, the coins thenpassing into a receiver box which cannot be opened by the operator andwhich is not accessible for removing the deposited coins until the farebox is removed for repair and for resetting the movable shelf.

During normal operation the fare box is not removed and the operatorsmerely remove and replace the register indicators which are issued tothem, whereby the reporting and checking of the fare registrations issimplified. The wiring connections are arranged so that the electricalconnections can be completed only when the proper indicator and carrieris used, as the wiring and the plate contacts of the indicator areinaccessible. Circumvention of the apparatus by use of substituteindicators or by short circuiting the connections is thus prevented.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated, it is clear that the inventive features may be applied toother types of coin collectors, and that changes in the size, shape,arrangements and functions of the parts may be changed to suit differentrequirements for coin collectors, within the spirit and the scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a coin collector, means for receiving deposited coins, means forautomatically registering the deposited coins, means for transferringthe registered coins to a coin receptacle, an

1 auxiliary coin box, means movable to by-pass an inoperativeregistering means and divert deposited coins to the auxiliary coin box,and means for locking the movable by-pass means against return movement.

2. In a coin collector having mechanism for receiving and registeringcoins, a panel having electrical contacts for supplying energizingcurrent to the receiving and registering mechanism and a concealedcontrol switch movable to 011 and on position, and a registrationindicator device removably mountable on the panel, said device and panelhaving cooperating parts locking the device to the panel on partialrotation thereof, said device having means engaging said control switchand operable to move said control switch to one position.

3. In a coin collector having mechanism for receiving and registeringcoins, a panel having electrical contacts for supplying energizingcurrent to the receiving and registering mechanism and a concealedcontrol switch rotatable to 011 and on position, and a registrationindicator device removably mountable on the panel, said device havingmeans engaging and turning said concealed control switch on completionof the mounting thereof.

GRANVILLE M. WILCOX. WALTER S. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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